Gardening for Better Soil

2025-06-10

How do you view soil in your garden? A lot of us look at soil as just the brown stuff under our feet. We usually don’t think about all of the different components that make up soil, all of the different organisms living in soil, or how it is this whole environment that our plants depend on. It is a living, breathing ecosystem that could be the answer to improving your entire garden. As gardeners, you know that soil is important so you should be feeding it, not just feeding your plants. And there's no better person to talk about that topic today than Ju...

How do you view soil in your garden? A lot of us look at soil as just the brown stuff under our feet. We usually don’t think about all of the different components that make up soil, all of the different organisms living in soil, or how it is this whole environment that our plants depend on. It is a living, breathing ecosystem that could be the answer to improving your entire garden. As gardeners, you know that soil is important so you should be feeding it, not just feeding your plants. And there's no better person to talk about that topic today than Juliet Sargeant, an award-winning British garden designer, educator, and author of Start with Soil: Simple Steps for a Thriving Garden.

In this episode, we learn:

[00:00] Why soil is more than just dirt
[03:28] Who is Juliet Sargeant?
[05:31] Soil as a mix of science and creativity
[09:02] What are the different components of soil? (topsoil, subsoil)
[12:07] Air pockets in soil
[14:37] Give your plants the nutrient-rich foundation they need with Espoma Organic!
[16:08] Join the movement of confident female gardeners with Dovetail x John Deere Workwear!
[18:03] What are the essential soil elements to consider as a gardener?
[19:40] Soil testing 101: pH kits, sedimentation jars
[22:20] Too much clay? Too much sand? How to fix your soil naturally
[24:16] Should you really change your soil composition? (adapting native plants)
[29:12] What are the least invasive ways that we can improve our soil?
[30:06] What is no-dig gardening?
[34:18] What are the essential nutrients for plants?
[37:31] Where can you find Juliet online?

Mentioned in our conversation:

Start with Soil: Simple Steps for a Thriving Garden by Juliet Sargeant

For Juliet's expert tips on achieving a healthier and livelier soil,

check out the full show notes and blog here!

Follow Juliet:

Website

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YouTube

Houzz

Thank you to our episode sponsors:Espoma Organic

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